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22 April 2011

Homemade Hummus

We make hummus every couple of weeks. Although I'd never heard of hummus when I started working at Pine Butte Guest Ranch, this recipe was a staple there. Once I tried it, I understood why - it's versatile, satisfying, and tasty! It is a healthy snack or appetizer when paired with vegetables, a delicious spread on sandwiches, and quite easy to make. I usually take some, with veggies, for a mid-afternoon snack at work. Hummus is road-trip friendly, too.

For further reading, check out this fascinating article about the cultural (Arabic) origins of hummus. Hummus, I found in the article, is in fact the word for chickpeas in Arabic. The article speaks to the increasing assimilation of Arabic foods into more recently developing food traditions. It highlights the seldom-mentioned political implications of knowing where your food and recipes come from.

Adapted from the Joy of Cooking

INGREDIENTS

2 C chick peas, also known as garbanzo beans (dried, or canned if pressed for time)

Add 1 T cumin for a flavor similar to Egyptian-style hummus (see Joy of Cooking recipe)

I discovered recently that it works equally well to make this recipe with black beans rather than chick peas. The result is a pleasant dark purple color and great flavor. Prepare dried beans similarly to chick peas.

7 comments:

I just finished making the hummus. Yum! It definitely has the consistency that I was looking for. In the past I used the juice from the can of c.peas. Maybe that was some of my problem... I also like the idea of putting all the ingredients in before the c.peas.

If using canned beans try the hummus BEFORE you add salt! I had to triple the recipe after following the directions and using canned beans because the salt was so strong. Very good in the end...just a LOT of good hummus!